


Suds in the Bucket

by pocketsquid



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, no idea when this takes place whoops, perfectly innocent car wash, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-20 16:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11339232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pocketsquid/pseuds/pocketsquid
Summary: Optimus makes the mistake of parking under a tree full of birds. Cade offers to help clean him up. Things turn into an adorably awkward mess of feelings.





	Suds in the Bucket

**Author's Note:**

> No real timeline here. The idea was bugging me and wouldn't let me go so I didn't try to fit it into canon  
> Also, this almost turned into a car-wash hanky panky session but I wasn't really feeling it so it's just fluff :)

"Alright, almost got it, just need to...." Cade mumbled. He had been rewiring various sensors for future projects all morning. It was tedious work that always resulted in back cramps and awful eye strain, and he should’ve taken a break before now, but he was _almost_ done. He was on the last sensor for the day when he heard a loud crash and a muttered Cybertronian curse from the front yard, startling Cade away from his work bench.

Cade looked down at the handful of wires that had been accidentally yanked out, connections that he had been working on for hours. His break time was here, he thought with a sigh.

Tossing the wires back on the work bench, Cade walked out to the front yard. He was pretty annoyed with the disruption, until he realized what had happened.

Before him, stood the great Optimus Prime, covered in little splatters of bird poop.

"Hey big guy, what's going on? You okay?" Cade asked.

"I'm doing fine, Cade. Although I seem to be covered in... Some sort of organic waste?"

Optimus rubbed at a glob of the stuff, nose wrinkling in disgust as it flaked off of his arm plating and fell to the ground.

Cade tried not to laugh and he walked closer to the bot. "Did you uh, park under the tree?"

Optimus nodded. "I prefer to sit in the shade, it's much too hot outside to sit in the direct sunlight," he said.

"Well, the birds feel the same way, and they really love that tree. Unfortunately, where there are trees, there are birds. And where there are birds, there's usually a lot of bird shit," Cade said with a chuckle.

All he got in response was a deep, irritated grumble. Cade patted Optimus’ foot sympathetically. This was an easy enough fix.

“How ‘bout a wash?” Cade offered.

Optimus stopped rubbing at his arm and quirked an eyebrow down at Cade. “A wash?”

The offer had been innocent enough, but with Optimus looking at him like _that_ , Cade realized the implications behind such a proposal. He laughed nervously and felt a flush run up his neck. “Yeah, y’know… Soap, water? Maybe a wax?”

The bot considered it for a long moment. “I am perfectly capable of cleaning myself, but… It is rather difficult to get to some spots,” he said, smiling down at Cade. “Are you certain that you don’t mind?”

Cade shrugged. “I’ve washed more than a few cars in my lifetime. It’s no big deal,” he said. He hoped he sounded more confident to Optimus than he did to his own ears.

“Hmm, indeed. But how many of them have been sentient?” Optimus replied with a smirk.

Optimus was on to him. Cade shrugged helplessly, blush intensifying. “You got me, big guy. Offer’s still open, though,” he said.

The bot kneeled down, a soft chuckle rumbling from his chassis. “Very well, Cade. I accept your offer,” he said.

“Oh. Well, great! Go ahead and get comfortable, I guess… Let me just grab my stuff real quick,” Cade said, gesturing vaguely toward the barn.

The entire way to the barn, Cade gave himself a mental pep talk. He knew this would probably be super awkward, he was practically asking Optimus if he wanted to go hang out in the shower or something. All he wanted to do was help, but his big stupid crush—no, no. This was not the time to think about _that_. He’d already stepped in it, bringing feelings into this was just gonna make it worse. Cade took a steadying breath and turned to leave the barn with his bucket of supplies.

Cade set the bucket down in a shady spot by the side of the barn and started to unravel the hose. “Come over this way, big guy,” he called, waving Optimus over.

The bot walked over to where Cade was standing. “So, how do you want me?” Optimus teased, nearly startling the soap right out of Cade’s hands.

“H-however you’re comfortable,” Cade replied. His voice was too shaky for his liking, and he cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind pickin’ me up you can stay in bot mode, I guess.”

Optimus smiled warmly down at him. “Very well,” he said. Cade felt as though his heart was going to burst from his chest when he climbed onto the servo that was lowered to his level.

It appeared that Optimus was trying to lift Cade to his head to start with – there was a rather large splatter there, after all. About halfway up Cade realized he was still wearing his work apron, which was making him sweat profusely. Optimus noticed him squirming and tilted his head in curiosity. It was absolutely adorable.

“Hey, do you mind if I take this off?” Cade asked nervously. “It’s pretty uncomfortable...”

The bot raised one huge shoulder in a shrug. “Not at all,” Optimus said. “Go right ahead.”

Cade’s apron was halfway removed before Optimus even finished shrugging. He hadn’t been wearing a shirt underneath it and was still overheating. It was at least 90 degrees out and that damned apron was heavy duty, after all. He grabbed the soap-soaked sponge and looked up at Optimus, ready to begin.

He wasn’t prepared for the sound of Optimus’ fans clicking on loudly and optics looking his bare chest over closely.

A cold sweat ran down Cade’s back and he cleared his throat, now incredibly self-conscious. He was fairly comfortable with his body, but under close inspection he was unsure how to feel about it.

“Um… Optimus?”

The piercing blue optics were yanked back up to Cade’s face, but they didn’t hold eye contact for long. The bot in question cleared his vocalizer a few times, and blinked slowly. “My apologies, Cade. I did not intend to make you uncomfortable,” Optimus said. His gaze darted around, avoiding Cade at all costs.

Cade’s heart hammered in his chest while Optimus collected himself. The big bot made a gesture with the hand that Cade wasn’t standing on. “I had not realized you were so…” Optimus searched for a term before blurting out, “aesthetically appealing under your clothing.”  His optics widened, and his fans clicked on even higher. His eyes met Cade’s own, looking almost bashful.

The flush on Cade’s body and face burned even brighter, and his stomach churned nervously. Optimus found him… attractive? Is that what he was saying?

“Yes, quite,” Optimus said suddenly. Cade jumped, not realizing he had voiced his thoughts. “I have since we first met. Again, I apologize if this makes you uncomfortable, especially considering we are different species—”

Cade barked out a laugh, startling Optimus into silence. “Not that weird, I suppose. I uh,” Cade coughed, “feel the same way? I mean, you’re ridiculously attractive, for a giant alien robot. Even now, when you’re all dusty and covered in bird crap.”

Optimus chuckled. “Is that so?” the bot asked quietly, a comforting smile on his face. Cade merely nodded.

“Yeah. I kind of… Like you? A lot?” Cade shrugged again, pushing his sweaty hair out of his face. He wasn’t doing too well in the ‘ignore your crush’ and ‘don’t make it weird’ departments. Oops.

Optimus nodded. “I feel very strongly about you as well,” he said solemnly. “Beyond the aesthetic attraction, mind you. You are the most selfless, passionate, and strong-willed human I’ve ever met.” Optimus’ voice had dropped to his equivalent of a whisper by the end of his statement, both the tone of voice and what was being said giving Cade goosebumps.

“I, uh. Wow, Optimus, that’s really kind of you,” Cade said, blushing again. “Thank you.”

They sat in a thoughtful silence for a few minutes, both unsure how to continue after such revelations. Of all the ways Cade had pictured a confession happening, nothing like this had ever crossed his mind. Especially the whole reciprocated feelings part. And the bashful Optimus part.

A loud horn honking from the end of the driveway startled both of them, breaking the moment. Cade turned to watch as Bumblebee rolled up to the house, Tessa and this week’s groceries packed safely within his cab.

“Dad, what on earth are you doing up there?” Tessa shouted from Bee’s open window.

Cade waved the soapy sponge at her. “Just giving Optimus a wash,” he shouted back.

“Oh, okay… Why aren’t you wearing a shirt? Wait, no, don’t answer that…” Tessa said. She looked like her eyes were about to pop out of her head in horror. She made a beeline for the house, leaving Bumblebee to scramble behind her with the groceries. Optimus chuckled, nudging Cade’s bare side gently with a finger on his free hand to get the human’s attention.

“Guess we better get to work, huh?” Cade asked.

Optimus nodded, finally raising Cade up to the splotch on his head. “We better, indeed. My plating is crawling.” A shudder ran through him, showing his discomfort, drawing a laugh from his human companion. 

**Author's Note:**

> (potential tlk spoilers ahead? very vague though)  
> OK. This oneshot was the result of a conversation with my best bud regarding a particular shirtless scene in tlk (who knew he was so buff?? uh, not me!). This combined with the super terrible flirting resulted in what you just read. I felt bad for making fun of Cade's awkwardness so I had to drag in some flustered OP too ~


End file.
